In medical science, one of a treatment for infertility is ‘IVF’ (In Vitro Fertilization, universally known as the Test Tube Baby). As a part of procedure of the treatment, it is required that an oocyte (egg) is recovered from a female patient in an operation theatre with the female patient under anesthesia. The oocyte comprises the egg that can be fertilized outside the female patient body in order to produce a zygote. The zygote may then be transferred to another female patient's body to facilitate successful pregnancy.
In the present day situation, a doctor who is performing the oocyte recovery procedure has his/her both hands occupied in holding the ultrasound probe and the attached needle. He/she may be constantly observing an ultrasound monitor to assist him/her and guide the needle tip in order to reach the correct spot in the ovary where the oocyte can be reached and aspirated. It may be understood that an ultrasound oocyte recovery procedure is performed for extracting the oocyte from the ovaries within the female patient. In the aforesaid procedure, a vaginal ultrasound probe with an attached needle guide is passed into vagina of the female patient under sterile conditions and the needle is then passed through the top of the vagina into the ovary. The follicles are then aspirated until the oocyte is obtained. In order to obtain the oocyte through aspiration, an apparatus known as ‘aspiration pump’ or ‘aspirator’ may be utilized for generating a sufficient amount of vacuum that enables the extraction of the follicle fluid containing the oocyte from the female patient's body.
In order to start the aspiration procedure, a foot switch coupled with the aspiration pump is pressed. Upon pressing the foot switch, the follicle fluid along with the oocyte flows inside the needle. At certain stage of the oocyte recovery procedure, it may be observed that the outflow of the follicle fluid may collapse the follicle and at this point the foot switch has to be released to neutralize the vacuum on the needle tip. Therefore, a constant monitoring of the follicle fluid falling in the test tube required. Specifically, it is required to ensure that level of the follicle fluid doesn't exceed a pre-defined threshold level of the test tube, so that the follicle fluid does not spill out of the test tube which may cause damage to follicles present in the follicle fluid.
In a present day situation, a constant watch on the level of the follicle fluid falling into the test tube is maintained by a nurse assisting the doctor. The nurse may orally communicate with the doctor, constantly, regarding status of the level of the follicle fluid falling into the test tube. Since the status of the follicle fluid is relayed by the nurse, this may result in delay in communication. It is required that the doctor gets uninterrupted and accurate information on the status of the level of the follicle fluid so that the doctor's vision is dedicated to screen of the ultrasound monitor at the time of the operation.